Interlocking corner block



Jun 2, 1 5 H. F. ZAGRAY 2,749,739

INTEIRLOCKING CORNER BLOCK Filed June 6, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Znvcntor 30 Harold F. Zagmzy 17 30 6 (Ittornegs June 12, 1956 H. F. ZAGRAY INTERLOCKING CORNER BLOCK 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fileddune 6, 1951 Ihmentor Harold] Zagray 9W,

W7i4414 A.

United States Patent O INTERLOCKING CORNER BLOCK Harold F. Zagray, Canton, Ohio, assignor to Precision Building System, Inc., Canton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio I Application June 6, 1951, Serial No. 230,195

2 Claims. (Cl. 72-41) The invention relates to building blocks formed of concrete and the like, and especially to a novel corner block for wall construction, and to the manufacture of such corner blocks.

More particularly, the present application is concerned with a corner block adapted for use in connection with interlocking building blocks of the type disclosed in my copending applications, Serial No. 10,650, filed February 25, 1948, now Patent No. 2,634,602 dated April 14, 1953, and Serial No. 68,500, filed December 31, 1948, now Patent No. 2,696,102.

Building blocks of the type referred to are provided with interlocking longitudinal ribs and recesses on their upper and lower sides respectively, and are formed in machines especially designed therefor. One machine is required for making the stretcher blocks and a somewhat difierent type of machine is required for making special corner blocks which are at present being used in connection thefewith.

Owing to the fact that the corner blocks comprise only a small fraction of the blocks required to build the wall of the average building, the production of corner blocks in this manner is comparatively expensive, since, in the average small plant, where one machine will turn out the required number of stretcher blocks, the special corner block machine will only be used a small fraction of the time.

Therefore the present invention contemplates the production of a corner block which may be made upon the same machine upon which the stretcher blocks are made.

Another object is to provide such a corner block having a top formation similar to that of the stretcher blocks and a specially designed bottom construction.

A still further object is to provide for the manufacture of such a corner block in the same machine in which the stretcher blocks are made, by substituting a special pallet in the bottom of the mold box of the machine.

The above objects together with others which will be apparent from the drawings and description, or which may be later referred to, may be attained in the manner hereinafter described in detail and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a corner block embodying the invention, showing the top, inner side and inner end of the block;

Fig. 2 a similar view showing the outer side and outer end of the improved corner block;

Fig. 3 a perspective view showing the bottom of the corner block;

Fig. 4 a perspective view of a corner portion of a wall, showing the improved corner blocks therein;

Fig. 5 a detached, perspective view of the pallet-used in making the corner block;

Fig. 6 a plan sectional view of the mold box of a block machine showing the pallet therein for making the corner block;

Fig. 7 a detached, perspective view of the half-round r6 CC strip used within the mold box for making the corner block; and

Fig. 8 a perspective view of a forming plate which may be used in the bottom of the mold box instead of a pallet for shaping the bottom of the corner block.

The type of building block for use with which this particular corner block is designed is shown in the stretcher blocks 10 in Fig. 4. These stretcher blocks are of the general type shown in ,my copending applications above referred to, and each has a longitudinal rib 11 on its upper side with a correspondingly shaped recess on its lower side, there being a longitudinal groove 12 in the rib 11 and a correspondingly shaped groove in the recess.

Also, the ends of each block are provided with .vertical grooves 13, communicating at their upper and lower ends with the longitudinal grooves in the rib and recess respectively, a central, vertical opening 14 being provided through the block, and vertical cored openings 15 being formed on each side of the longitudinal center of the block, all as shown in detail in said copending applications. V

The corner blocks, to which the invention pertains, are necessarily made in two reverse designs, for right hand and left hand use, the right hand corner blocks being indicated generally at 16 and the left hand corner blocks at 17.

Figs. 1 and 2 show in perspective opposite sides and ends of the top of a right hand corner blockembodying the invention, and Fig. 3 shows in perspective the outer side, outer end and bottom ofa left hand corner block.

Except for the reversal in position of certain portions on the lower sides thereof, the right hand and left hand corner blocks are otherwise the same, as will be now explained. A longitudinal, fiat top rib 11a, similar to the rib 11 of the stretcher blocks, is formed upon the top of each corner block and provided with the central, longitudinal groove 12a, corresponding to the groove 12 in the rib at the top of the stretcher block.

A central, vertical opening 14a is located through each corner block, and vertical cored air spaces 15a are formed in each corner block between the central opening 14a and the inner end 18 of the block.

The outer side 19, and outer end 20, of each corner block are fiat, as shown in the drawings, while the inner side of each corner block is provided with a vertical groove 21, at a pointnear the outer end of the block and in the same transverse vertical plane as the vertical opening 22.

The inner end 18 of each corner block is recessed, in the same manner as the stretcher blocks, as disclosed in detail in my copending applications above referred to, and has a central vertical groove 23 therein.

The underside of each corner block is longitudinally recessed, as indicated at 24, and provided with the central, longitudinal groove 25, extending from the inner end of the block to the downwardly projecting extension 26 of the outer end wall of the block. The depending extensions 27 and 28, of the inner and outer walls 16 and 17 respectively of the block, are cut away, as at 29 and 30 respectively, so as to accommodate the rib 11a upon the top of the next lower corner block when laid up in a wall, as shown in Fig. 4.

Since blocks of this general type are laid up in a dry wall, after which grouting material is poured through the various openings and grooves therein, in order to bond the blocks together in the wall, it is necessary that the outer ends of the grooves 12a in the corner blocks be closed, so as to prevent the grouting material from flowing out of the same. For this purpose a half-round boss 31 is formed in each cut away portion 30 so as to fill the ends of the grooves 12a, as ,best shown Fig. .4.

In order 't'o li ghten'the weight of the corner block, a plurality of vertical openings "32 may be formed near'the outer end of each corner block, and may extend from the bottom of the block to a point spaced from the top thereof, or if desired, may extend entirely through the block so as to register with similar openings in the corner blocks above and below providing additional air spaces through the wall.

and other means is provided for shaping the top of the block.

Owing to the fact that the corner block, such as has been used in the past in connection with these stretcher blocks, has a considerably different formation at the top from that of the stretcher block, a special machine has been required for forming such corner blocks.

However, the corner block to which the present invention pertains has the same configuration at the top as the stretcher block, thus making it possible to form this new corner block in the same machine in which the stretcher blocks are made, by replacing the pallet, or forming plate, in the bottom of the mold box with a pallet such as indicated generally by the numeral 34 in Figs. and 6, to produce the configuration at the bottom of the corner block, as best shown in Fig. 3, or by using a forming plate in the bottom of the mold box, for producing this shape, as shown at 34a in Fig. 8.

Referring first to the pallet 34, shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the same may be made of sheet metal, formed to the shape shown in said views of the drawings, having the fiat surface 35 for forming the recessed underside 24 of the corner block, with downwardly tapered portions 36 and 37 terminating in outturned, substantially narrow, flanges 38 and 39 for forming the depending extensions 27 and 28 of the side walls of the corner blocks.

At the opposite end of the pallet is formed the downwardly extending portion 40, terminating in the flat flange 41, located in the same horizontal plane as the flanges 38 and 39, for forming the downwardly projecting extension 26 of the outer end wall of the corner block.

A half-round, central, longitudinal rib 42 is formed on the fiat upper portion 35 of the pallet, extending throughout the length of. said fiat portion, for forming the half-round groove in the underside of the corner block. Circular apertures 43 and 44 are formed through said half-round rib to receive the tapered, vertical cores 45 and 46, for forming the vertical openings 14a and 22 in the corner block.

A lateral extension 47 is formed at one side of the pallet, between the flanges 38 and 41, to form the cut away portion 29 in the bottom of the corner block at the inner side thereof, and this lateral extension has a vertical, halfround groove 48 therein, to receive a detachable, halfround rib 49, which may be detachably mounted upon the adjacent side wall of the mold box, as by screws 51 located through suitable apertures 52 in the side wall 50 of the mold box and into the tapped bores 53 in the detachable rib 49, for the purpose of forming the vertical groove 21 on the inner side of the corner block.

A lateral extension 54 is formed on the opposite side of the pallet from the extension 47, and provided with a half-round socket 55, adapted to form the cut-out 39 in the outer side of the 'corner block with the depending half- 'round boss 31 therein.

Elongated apertures 56 are formed in the pallet to receive the cores 57, for forming the vertical, air space openings 15a in the corner block. If the vertical openings 32 are desired in the corner block, the pallet should be provided with suitable spaced openings to receive cores for forming theseopenings,in' the same manner that the other cores above described are received in openings in the The mold box has the side wall 58 opposite to the side wall 50, for forming the outer side of the corner block, the flat end wall 59, for forming the fiat outer end wall 20 of the corner block, and the shaped end wall 60, for forming the recessed inner end wall 18 of the corner block with the vertical groove 23 therein.

Since, as above described, it is necessary to make the corner blocks in rights and lefts, it will be understood that the pallets 34 must also be made in rights and lefts. The pallet illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 is designed for forming a right hand corner block, as indicated at 16, in the drawings, and it will be seen that in order to make the left hand corner block, as indicated generally at 17 in the drawings, the lateral extensions 47 and 54 would be reversed in position, the pallet being otherwise of the same construction and shape as illustrated and described.

In order to form the left hand corner block, the detachablerib 49 must be connected to the side Wall 58, for which reason this side wall is provided with apertures 52a, similar to the aperture 52 for receiving screws 51 to attach the rib thereto.

It may be desirable, instead of using the pallet 34, to use a forming plate in the bottom of the mold box to produce the configuration at the bottom of the corner block, as indicated generally at 34a in Fig. 8. This forming plate is of the same general shape as the pallet, having the flat upper surface 35a, with downwardly inclined side portions 36a and 37a, terminating in the flanges 38a and 39a, and has the half-round, longitudinal rib 42a, through which are located the apertures 43a and 44a for receiving the cores 45 and 46.

The lateral extensions 47a and 54a are of the same shape as the extensions 47 and 54 respectively, upon the pallet, but may be detachably connected to the forming plate, as by screws 62, so that they may be reversed in position for forming either right hand or left hand corner blocks.

For this purpose both flanges 38a and 39a of the forming plate should be provided with the half-round, vertical grooves 63 to register with the vertical half-round groove 48a of the detachable extension 47a in either position thereof.

The elongated openings 56a may be formed in the forming plate, to receive the cores 57 for producing the vertical air spaces 15a in the corner block. The inner end of the forming plate is provided with the vertical central groove 64a, similar to the cut-out 64 in the pallet, to receive the vertical, half-round rib 65 of the end wall 60 of the mold box, to form the vertical groove 23 in the inner end of the corner block.

This forming plate may be made in two sections, indicated generally at 3412 and 340, as shown in Fig. 8, in order that when it is desired to mold stretcher blocks the section 340 may be removed from the mold box and replaced with a stretcher section similar to the section 34b.

From the above it will be obvious that the improved corner block may be formed in the same concrete block machine in which the stretcher blocks 10 are formed, by merely replacing the pallet, or forming plate, in the bottom of the mold box of the machine, with the pallet 34, or forming plate 34a, shown in the drawings and above described in detail, as this pallet or forming plate produces the desired shape at the bottom of the block, while the top of the corner block, being the same shape as the top of the stretcher block, is formed in the machine in the same manner as the top of the stretcher block.

In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness and understanding, but no unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirements of the prior art, because such words are used for descriptive purposes herein and are intended to be broadly construed.

Moreover, the embodiments of the improved construction illustrated and described herein are by way of example, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the exact details of construction.

Having now described the invention or discovery, the construction, the operation, and use of preferred embodiments thereof, and the advantageous new and useful results obtained thereby; the new and useful constructions, and reasonable mechanical equivalents thereof obvious to those skilled in the art, are set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A substantially rectangularly shaped masonry corner block, said block including a pair of opposite flat sides, top and bottom longitudinal faces and a pair of opposite transverse faces, a longitudinal rib formed on the top longitudinal face, said rib being of a width only slight 1y less than the width of the block and having a substantially flat top surface and downwardly inclined side surfaces, and a recess formed in the bottom longitudinal face, said recess generally corresponding in width and cross-sectional shape to said rib, there being a longitudinal centrally located groove in the rib and a correspondingly shaped central longitudinal groove in the recess, a central vertical groove formed in one transverse face and communicating at its ends with the longitudinal grooves, a central vertical opening extending through the block in substantially parallel relation with said opposite sides and opposite transverse faces and communicating at its ends with the central portions of said longitudinal grooves, the other transverse face of the block being flat, transverse cut-out grooves in the bottom face of the block and communicating with opposite sides of said longitudinal recess near said other transverse face, said transverse cut-out grooves being shaped to conform to the transverse contour of said rib, a vertical opening extending through the block midway between said central vertical opening and said other transverse face and communicating at opposite ends with said longitudinal grooves, a centrally located half-round boss in the cutout groove at one side of the block and a vertical groove in the other side face of the block and located in the same transverse plane as said second named vertical opening.

2. A substantially rectangularly shaped masonry corner block, said block including a pair of opposite flat sides, top and bottom longitudinal faces and a pair of opposite transverse faces, a longitudinal rib formed on the top longitudinal face, said rib being of a width only slightly less than the width of the block and having a substantially flat top surface and downwardly inclined side surfaces, and a recess formed in the bottom longitudinal face, said recess generally corresponding in width and cross-sectional shape to said rib, there being a longitudinal centrally located groove in the rib and a correspondingly shaped central longitudinal groove in the recess, a central verticalv groove formed in one transverse face and communicating at its ends with the longitudinal grooves, a central vertical opening extending through the block in substantially parallel relation with said opposite sides and opposite transverse faces and communicating at its ends with the central portions of said longitudinal grooves, flanges on said one transverse face of the block, said flanges extending substantially from one of said longitudinal faces to the other, each flange having a surface thereof coplanar with a side of the block, the other transverse face of the block being flat, transverse cut-out grooves in the bottom face of the block and communicating with opposite sides of said longitudinal recess near said other transverse face, said transverse cutout grooves being shaped to conform to the transverse contour of said rib, a vertical opening extending through the block midway between said central vertical opening and said other transverse face and communicating at opposite ends with said longitudinal grooves, a centrally located half-round boss in the cut-out groove at one side of the block and a vertical groove in the other side face of the block and located in the same transverse plane as said second named vertical opening.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 468,838 Steiger Feb. 16, 1892 1,297,960 Yourtee Mar. 18, 1919 1,350,835 Pisciotta Aug. 24, 1920 1,686,757 Loughridge Oct. 9, 1928 1,884,319 Smith Oct. 25, 1932 1,900,457 Miller Mar. 7, 1933 2,537,684 Manuel Jan. 9, 1951 2,558,630 Stewart June 26, 1951 2,570,384 Russell Oct. 9, 1951 OTHER REFERENCES Precision Block, literature published by Precision Building System Inc., Canton, Ohio. 

